After you’ve built one of the most successful investment banking institutions in America, served as the California Republican Party’s Finance Chairman, set up charities supporting private and charter schools and maintains an excellent long term marriage to Kathy his first bride, what then?

Well, President Bush appointed Frank Baxter to serve as American’sAmbassador to the "Switzerland of South America". Uruguay is not quite Switzerland, it’s run by moderate socialists. Naturally, Michelle and I wanted to see Frank and Kathy next time we were in the area.

So we [Pub Note: "we" is Shawn and his wife, Michelle, a member of the State Board of Equalization] found ourselves in the area last week. Frank set up dinner for us with leaders of 4 political parties. We even had an interpreter when discussing California politics. The current government is composed of a left of center regime, but they are not… Read More

After you’ve built one of the most successful investment banking institutions in America, served as the California Republican Party’s Finance Chairman, set up charities supporting private and charter schools and maintains an excellent long term marriage to Kathy his first bride, what then?

Well, President Bush appointed Frank Baxter to serve as American’sAmbassador to the "Switzerland of South America". Uruguay is not quite Switzerland, it’s run by moderate socialists. Naturally, Michelle and I wanted to see Frank and Kathy next time we were in the area.

So we [Pub Note: "we" is Shawn and his wife, Michelle, a member of the State Board of Equalization] found ourselves in the area last week. Frank set up dinner for us with leaders of 4 political parties. We even had an interpreter when discussing California politics. The current government is composed of a left of center regime, but they are not… Read More

Jon Coupal, President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, addressed anti-tax advocates from around the country today at the National Taxpayer Union’s annual conference. The topic of Jon’s talk was "Finding Ways to Win" and he focused on HJTA’s leadership in defeating Proposition 88, the "parcel tax" on real property on the last statewide ballot in California. Jon gave some good advice to the crowd about how to successfully oppose a tax increase measure on a shoe-string budget.

Jon explained that last time around there were four tax increase measures on the ballot, namely Proposition 86 (tobacco), Proposition 87 (oil), Proposition 88 (the parcel tax), and Proposition 89 (corporate tax). He said that the opposition campaigns for tobacco, oil, and corporate had built-in vested interests and knew they could fully fund their own opposition campaigns, but the parcel tax was different, as it was a flat regressive tax that would not make much of a dent in business budgets to… Read More

My blog today is the second half of yesterday’s piece. If you didn’t get a chance to read it, it’s best to do so before reading below…click here.

Both PRI’s Josh Trevino and Dr. Pipes agreed that Iraq, Iran, Israel, Islamism, and Islam in Europe are the most important issues of our era. If that is true, and I believe it is, then Republicans have a tremendous responsibility to the world in 2008.

You can bet your bottom dollar that Democratic primary voters will not use the “who-is-best-suited-to-vanquish-our-most-dangerous-enemy-to-date” measuring stick to choose their nominee to lead the free world through the crisis of warring ideals. If they were, you’d only hear crickets at Obama rallies, because he’s no more prepared to be leader of the free world than my 10 year old is to be in the NHL…maybe someday, on both accounts, but not for many years. Democrats are looking for a presidential candidate who will attend to all their unresolved childhood issues: someone to take care of me when I’m sick; someone… Read More

UPDATE…some additional input from another source:

Anyone who was there last night (and just about every major donor in San Diego was) witnessed an incredible start to Nathan Fletcher’s campaign for the 75th State Assembly District. More than 150 donors attended, raising over $100,000. Not bad for your first fundraiser. Even Pete Wilson joked that the event was bigger than his kickoff for his first run for governor. The catered event at the home of Gene and Taffin Ray was a class act. With the backing of Republican leaders like Gov. Pete Wilson, Duncan Hunter, George Plescia, Mark Wyland, and countless others (not to mention Barry Jantz – ok, that was my insert), Nathan Fletcher is well on his way.

—————————————————- 75th AD candidate Nathan Fletcher’s campaign kickoff was last nite, and although I had other commitments (I am supporting Nathan for the George Plescia term-limited seat), I do have my… Read More

I am attending the National Taxpayers Union annual conference at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. this weekend with Jon Coupal, Presidentof the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and have just sat-in on a session on media relations featuring speakers Deroy Murdock and John Fund. Readers may not know that both Murdock and Fund, both professional journalists with national reputations, also both hail from California and were active in conservative politics in the Golden State as young men.

In fact,Murdock not only was a southern California conservative activitist, he was also a YAF member, and attended the 1983 YAF National Convention in Los Angeles (my last as National Chairman). And Fund, from San Francisco, has a YAF and Movement pedigree as well.

Murdock moved-on to Georgetown University where he received his BA, and then attended New York University, where he earned an MBA. Today he is nationally syndicated through Scripps-Howard and is associated with the Hoover Institute and the Atlas Foundation, and lives in New York City.

Fund worked for a California Republican state legislator as a young man, and got his break about 25 years ago… Read More

This oped by Congressman David Dreier appeared in today’s Inland Valley Daily Bulletin: Giuliani’s The Man To Secure Our Borders

Rudy Giuliani understands the problems of illegal immigration. He knows that without securing our border and knowing who is in our country, we will not be able to keep our citizens safe.

That is why I am pleased that Rudy has been at the forefront of this border security debate by advocating a tamper-proof card tied to a common database that government agencies would be able to access, allowing us to know who is in the country, why they are here, and where they are. Immigrants who overstay their visas will be able to be… Read More

The Castle Coalition, a project of the Institute for Justice recently released a report written by Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle on how cities can grow, even in their urban cores, without the use of eminent domain.

Pringle and Anaheim are the model for this sort of activity with their highly successful Platinum Triangle development centered around the city’s baseball stadium. But Anaheim has also had similar success in redeveloping its downtown, again without the use of any government taking or the threat of taking.

Anaheim does not have a corner on the market for urban infill. In fact in Irvine there is a similarly significant activity with private land owners recognizing the value they can reap from changing land uses and building up. Irvine too… Read More